Microplastics In The Ocean: An Alarming Crisis

Microplastics are a huge environmental concern. These tiny particles, less than 5mm in length, are ingested by marine life and can cause harm to both animals and humans. An estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces of microplastics are in the ocean today, with 14 million tons on the ocean floor alone. While research on the health effects of human consumption of microplastics is limited, some studies have indicated that microplastics can accumulate in organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.

Microplastics on the ocean floor

Microplastics are a huge problem in the ocean, with an estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces in the ocean today. While microplastics are less than 5mm in length, they can have significant health effects on marine organisms when ingested.

Microplastics can accumulate in the organs of marine life, such as the liver, kidneys and intestines. This can cause harm to both animals and humans.

A team of researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an Australian government agency, set out to quantify the amount of microplastics in the Great Australian Bight, a large ocean area south of Australia that is home to many marine species. They found that there are 14 million tons of microplastics on the ocean floor.

Previous comparable studies had found higher microplastic estimates because they were conducted in coastal areas with higher population densities, resulting in more pollution or contamination of the samples collected. This was not representative of the majority of the ocean. The CSIRO team's microplastic count was collected from a more remote location, providing a more conservative estimate.

Microplastics in coastal areas

Microplastics, which are less than 5mm in length, are a major environmental concern. An estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces of microplastics are in the ocean today.

Microplastics are a huge problem for marine life, as they can be ingested and cause harm to animals and humans. Research has indicated that microplastics can accumulate in organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.

A team of researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia used microscope images to count the number of microplastic particles in different samples. They estimated that 14 million tons of microplastic exist on the ocean floor. This is a conservative estimate as it was conducted in a more remote location, whereas previous comparable studies were conducted in coastal areas with higher population densities, resulting in more pollution or contamination of the samples collected.

Microplastics in the Great Australian Bight

Microplastics are a huge problem in the ocean. They can harm marine organisms when ingested and have significant health effects on them. There are an estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces of microplastics in the ocean today. While research on the health effects of human consumption of microplastics is limited, some studies have indicated that microplastics can accumulate in organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.

The Great Australian Bight is a large ocean area south of Australia that is home to many marine species. It is also one of Australia's most isolated marine environments, a so-called "pristine" biodiversity hotspot and marine treasure. In 2018, microplastics were found in the Great Australian Bight, leading scientists to fear that the problem of plastic pollution is much greater than first thought. The microplastics were discovered in ocean-floor sediments two kilometres below the surface off the South Australian coast.

The discovery of microplastics in the Great Australian Bight has alarmed conservationists and scientists, who say it illustrates the extent of the plastic-pollution problem. The Wilderness Society South Australia director, Peter Owen, said that the finding was a "wake-up call" for better protection of the oceans, including from deep-sea oil and gas drilling that Norwegian oil giant Statoil wants to pursue in the Great Australian Bight.

Dr Jennifer Lavers, of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, said she was not surprised that plastic had been found in the bight, as there are multiple studies from around the world finding microplastics and even nanoplastics in sediments throughout the bottom of the world's oceans.

Microplastics in marine life

Microplastics are a huge problem for marine life. These tiny particles, less than 5mm in length, can be ingested by marine organisms and cause significant harm.

An estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces of microplastics are in the ocean today, with 99% of plastics in the ocean being microplastics fragments far below the surface. While it is difficult to quantify the amount of microplastics on the deep ocean floor, one study estimated that 14 million tons of microplastics exist on the whole ocean floor. This was based on microscope images and counts from a remote location, providing a more conservative estimate than previous studies conducted in coastal areas with higher population densities.

Microplastics can accumulate in the organs of marine organisms, including the liver, kidneys, and intestines. While research on the health effects of human consumption of microplastics is limited, it is clear that microplastics have detrimental effects on marine life and the marine ecosystem.

The presence of microplastics in the ocean is largely due to the breakdown of larger plastics, such as fishing nets and other marine equipment, as well as plastic bags and containers. These microplastics can accumulate in areas over twice the size of Texas, posing a significant threat to marine life and the environment.

Microplastics in human organs

Microplastics, which are less than 5mm in length, are a major environmental concern. An estimated 50 trillion to 75 trillion pieces of microplastics are in the ocean today. While research on the health effects of human consumption of microplastics is limited, some studies have indicated that microplastics can accumulate in human organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.

Microplastics are a huge problem, as they can harm marine organisms when ingested. They can accumulate in areas over twice the size of Texas, and few have determined just how much plastic reaches the seabed of the ocean.

A team of researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an Australian Government agency, quantified the amount of microplastics in the Great Australian Bight, a large ocean area south of Australia that is home to many marine species. They found that 14 million tons of microplastic exist on the ocean floor.

Previous comparable studies found higher microplastic estimates because they were conducted in coastal areas with higher population densities. This resulted in more pollution or contamination of the samples collected, and therefore was not representative of the majority of the ocean. Because the CSIRO team’s microplastic count was collected from a more remote location, their total count was lower and provides a more conservative estimate.

Frequently asked questions